A former New Mexico sheriff’s deputy has been charged with handcuffing and sexually assaulting a girl in his patrol automobile, federal prosecutors mentioned Thursday.
Michael Andrew Martinez, a former Doña Ana County sheriff’s deputy, is charged with deprivation of rights underneath the regulation and obstruction of justice, the U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace for New Mexico mentioned in an announcement.
The April 30 assault was recorded on a video recording gadget inside his police cruiser, which Martinez later unsuccessfully tried to destroy, in line with an FBI affidavit filed with a felony criticism.
Martinez, 33, had claimed on Could 2 that somebody broke into his patrol automobile and broken the WatchGuard DVR system, in line with the criticism — however the video remained there and was discovered by Motorola after which investigators.
The video allegedly reveals Martinez groping a handcuffed lady within the cage space of the automobile, the FBI agent wrote within the affidavit.
Martinez had filed a report saying he responded to a site visitors accident in Las Cruces the place a automobile struck a tree on April 30 and detained the registered proprietor, in line with the doc.
A spokesperson for the Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Workplace declined to remark Thursday afternoon, however Sheriff Kim Stewart is scheduled to carry a information convention Friday morning.
It’s not clear when Martinez left the division or how, however federal prosecutors described him as a former lawmaker.
The federal public defender listed as representing Martinez didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark late Thursday afternoon.
On-line court docket information don’t point out a plea. A preliminary listening to is scheduled for Tuesday.
The U.S. Lawyer’s Workplace mentioned Martinez labored for the New Mexico State Police and the Hatch Police Division, and anybody else who might have been victimized is requested to contact the FBI.
New Mexico State Police didn’t instantly reply to a request for touch upon particulars of his earlier employment, and a message was left with the Village of Hatch after enterprise hours.